NNNorthern Valley News Murray’s motorcycle dream coming true
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2015
Countdown to Gingin Science Festival launch
Norcia • Regans Ford • Wannamal
JULY
Bindoon • Bullsbrook • Calingiri • Chittering • Gingin • Muchea • Mooliabeenie • New
Celebrating the citrus season
Clem and Jan Densley at Glorivale Orchards, Bindoon Jackie Shervington
are great.
the orchard.
As WA celebrates the launch of the citrus season I welcomed the opportunity to spend time with local producers, Clem and his wife Jan Densley of Glorivale Orchards.
Clem and his brother Lindsey and sister Jennifer grew up on the farm. Their father Bill Densely purchased it in 1947 – back then all that was on the property was an old mud house and a well.
Together they live on a beautiful 40acre property in Bindoon adjoining Lake Chittering. Their orchard is a wonderful example of the smallscale lifestyle farming that many still enjoy in the region. Although the returns from this boutique citrus operation are small, the rewards of living off the land
Having worked for Harold Edmonds, who was the first man to plant citrus trees in Bindoon, Bill had a dream to have his own orchard. Clem remembers as a young child helping his dad plant up to 22,000 cauliflowers, sold to become the seed capital they used to buy young orange trees and start
Clem’s dad had planted mostly Valencia oranges, and there was also 9 acres of vineyard – a treasured framed aerial photo of the property shows what a formidable farm it was. Sadly the vines were all removed years back when the dried fruit market collapsed. Today the orchard boasts around 3000 citrus trees, made up of a number of varieties. Clem found with just the Valencia, which his dad had planted, they were exhausted trying to get them away all at once. To ensure a longer and
BINDOON
$639,000
REGANS FORD $799,000
more manageable picking program they selected a range of varieties to stagger the harvest across the length of the season. While spending time with locals like Clem one can learn a lot about how the valley has changed. Clem reminisces how Lake Chittering was once full of gilgies. Citrus was also never irrigated as the region used to enjoy a lot of rain in summer. But you’d be wrong for thinking Clem and Jan are living in the past. Far from it – today they are still very much focussed on the future of the orchard. Only last year they
planted 100 Mandarin Emperors, Clem and Jan mused they probably won’t be alive by the time they start producing. They are also realists and understand the need to change and adjust to market opportunities. With strong sheep prices they have just cleared some acreage for their son to grow oats for his sheep. But citrus is still their love. Whilst Clem’s son would love to have sheep on the property, Clem has insisted that unless he has absolute sheep proof fencing, there is no way he will take a risk that they will get into their beloved orchard.
WOODRIDGE $480,000
WANNAMAL $510,000
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